(a) Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to flat panel displays. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a liquid crystal display having improved response speed.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display, which is currently perhaps the most widely used flat panel display at present, includes two display panels on which electric field generating electrodes such as a pixel electrode and a common electrode are formed, and a liquid crystal layer inserted therebetween.
The liquid crystal display displays an image by generating an electric field on a liquid crystal layer. A voltage is applied across the electric field generating electrodes, thus generating an electric field therebetween and determining alignments of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer through the generated electric field, thereby controlling polarization of incident light.
The liquid crystal display further includes switching elements connected to each of the pixel electrodes, and a plurality of signal lines, such as gate lines and data lines, which control the switching elements to apply a voltage to the pixel electrodes.
In a vertically aligned mode liquid crystal display, long axes of liquid crystal molecules are arranged to be perpendicular to upper and lower display panels when no electric field is applied. A liquid crystal display with a vertically aligned mode is often desirable for its high contrast ratio and wide reference viewing angle.
In particular, a lower display panel of the liquid crystal display in the vertically aligned mode is provided with an electrode having a minute slit structure, and an upper display panel thereof is provided with an electrode having a plate shape to be able to apply a voltage to each of the electrodes. However, as the width of the minute slits is designed to be small, distortion of the electric field is increased such that the liquid crystal molecules are oriented differently in different areas, thereby generating a deterioration of transmittance and a deterioration of response time.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.